POLS 206 1st Edition Lecture 11 Outline of Last Lecture I The Senate and House of Representatives Outline of Current Lecture II The House of Representatives Organization III The Senate Organization IV Committees of Congress V Process in Legislation a Intro b Committee referred c Committees start acting d Bill report e Schedule on the Floor f Debating on the Floor g Votes h Committees in Conference i Last the President s approval Vl More Congress Responsibilities Current Lecture l The House of Representatives Organization a Speaker of the House essentially leader of the House and majority party controls what is said and who speaks in the House and assigns committees so a very powerful position 3 in power over the US the President being 1 and Vice President 2 Republican John Boehner is Speaker right now b Majority Leader essentially keeps the party together and in line like a spokesperson c Majority Whip this person is the party discipline getting people to vote for bills the enforcer of the political party d Minority Leader has same responsibilities as majority leader but over the minority party right now it is Democratic Nancy Pelosi e Minority Whip has same responsibilities as majority whip but on minority party side ll The Senate Organization a Vice President VP right now Joe Biden is President of the Senate heads the Senate b President pro tem is in control when VP is gone which is frequently is elected by their own party 4 in the line of controlling the US c Majority Leader Majority Whip Minority Leader Minority Whip all much of the same responsibilities as in the House Majority but for the Senate instead lll Committees of Congress a the real work of making bills b responsibilities is split thus allowing subjects to be fully investigated c House 19 Standing Committees Standing Committees deal with large issues such as transportation d Senate 16 Standing Committees e Political parties decide who goes in each committee f Subcommittees are divided from committees thus allowing concentration on subjects and real work is done 200 subcommittees g Joint Committees involve both the Senate and House for certain particular assignments questions and for limited time h Conference Committees involve both the Senate and House work only with bills for specific legislative reasons i Select Committees set up for a small time limit and specific issue either with the House or Senate lV Process in Legislation a Intro one member of either House or Senate can introduce a bill most are made ready by executive branch and presented by a nicer legislator Congressmen are given copies and considered b Committee referred the bill is given a number and referred to a standing committee the Speaker assigning the bill in the House and the President of the Senate assigning the bill in the Senate then further goes on to a subcommittee to try to look at all aspects of the bill c Committees start acting subcommittees do research on bill Staff Research public hearings are made the public can voice their opinion mark ups are made on the bill revising it majority have to approve in order to go on then reported to Full Chamber d Bill report can be good favorable whether revised or not or unfavorable in which case the committee thinks it over The report itself describes what the bill is about and what the committee plans to do with it this is like a cheat sheet for Congress to look over the bill e Schedule on the Floor The House the Rules Committee and Leadership decide on bills and debates on the floor when the floor debate is and details of the bills f g h i the Senate bills that come through must have a unanimous vote in order to bring the bill into consideration cannot happen if one Senator does not vote for it the bill does not go on it does not happen often with the idea being treat us well we treat you well Debating on the Floor hardly ever changes anyone s mind the House close regulation by the Rules Committee and Speaker because of so many members the Chairperson of the Standing Committee usually controlling the debate timed now for sake of time and need to keep things moving the Senate no time limit filibusters are allowed once someone starts talking they can talk for as long as they want as long as they do not leave the floor if 16 Senators sign a petition 3 5 s vote and give the Senator one hour then the Filibuster can end Votes both chambers majority makes quorum minimum number of people to hold a session so a minority cannot get together and pass a bill members can show the vote can be a voice vote standing vote or roll call recorded electronic voting though this is not always completely safe from others voting in their place though Senate does not use the electronic voting Committees in Conference the bill has to be the same as in both the Senate and House and so must have communication Once paired up the bill must be voted on again Last the President s approval after bill was passed the President checks it out and within 10 days he has to sign it veto it or do nothing to it in which case if Congress is in session then the bill becomes a law if they are not in session the the bill is automatically vetoed V More Congress Responsibilities a The Senate has to approve no matter what position is taken with Presidential Appointments or Treaties b Impeachment the President put up on charges the House deciding whether to bring the charges the Senate working as the jury to hear the case and decide on the guilt the Supreme Court Peace Justice overseeing everything
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